Once Upon A Very Real Dream
by Sebs
Summary: Emma is in New York City with Walsh on a secret case when she begin's to feel very strange, and on top of that, the man she knows as Killian shows up out of the blue, threatening to jeopardize everything. But there's something strange about this entire day and about this man in black leather.. A one shot written for my best friend based on a real dream that I had.


_**A/N: I wrote this a couple of weeks ago for my best friend, Val. This story is based on an actual dream I had about Killian except I was in Emma's place. I decided to turn it into a fic and make Emma have the adventure and I love how it turned out. I hope you all enjoy! Leave me comments and reviews! :)**_

* * *

The rain had begun to fall outside of Penn Station as Emma reached for Walsh's hand, noticing she was falling behind his quickened pace. The transition from fall to winter had began in the big city, causing a once warm rain a month ago to now be a chilly wet nuisance. Emma didn't mind winter at all, but this weather bothered her to her core and she pulled her black coat tighter around her neck with her left hand.

"Your parents would pick the wettest day of the season so far to meet you at the train station," She half joked and was half very annoyed.

"It was the only day they could get away from their affairs, you know this sweetie," Walsh responded, not bothering to look back as he was too preoccupied with finding the right platform.

Emma sighed. Something felt different today inside of her. Everything that could annoy her, was, everything that she was originally comfortable with, she wasn't comfortable with anymore. What is going on with me?

"Emma? Emma did you hear me?"

"Huh?" She replied, feeling guilty for not paying attention. "I'm sorry, Walsh. What did you say?"

"I said the train will be here in the next five minutes here at Platform B. Are you alright, Emma? You don't seem yourself today."

Emma noticed they were outside in the dark of night now underneath a glass awning next to the train rails. It had grown colder and darker as night had fully set in from when they had left Emma's yellow bug on the street and entered the train station. The drizzle from when they had entered the station had now turned into a downpour and each droplet seemed to pitter patter against the glass above her, filling her mind with it's captivating rhythmic melody. How did we get from inside the train station to here? Am I that out of it? What is wrong with me?

"I'm fine," She lied as a shiver swept down her spine. "Sorry, I guess it's just an off day for me." She said with a forced smile.

"Well quit being off," Walsh mused, walking slowly towards her until he had her pinned against the cold white brick wall of the station. "I will miss you, you know?"

"I know. I will miss you too," She managed to say in-between breathy kisses from Walsh. "Walsh, we're in public! What if someone sees!"

"Let them look, then." He replied, unbothered as he let his kisses leave her mouth and down her neck.

Instinctively Emma wrapped her arms around his neck and let her fingers glide through his silky brown hair. She closed her eyes and found herself envisioning a time that seemed so real to her, yet somehow so far away.

Long green island tree limbs and leaves wrapped around her body and the man in front of her. It was muggy and hot and there was almost a constant mist of rain in the air that clung to her hair and skin like a spider and its self-made web.

"Perhaps you are the one that couldn't handle it." He teased her, almost begging her to show him that she could handle it.

And show him she did. She grabbed his black leather collar and shoved her lips on to his in a desperate plea to prove to him that she could match his wits, that she could handle him and his devilish charm. In fact, that she could best him at his own game.

Him. But who is he?

Emma's eye's snapped open and she was back in the train station with Walsh. Nothing had changed from when she had closed her eyes as he held gently but firmly onto her hips, her arms still locked around his slender, tall frame as he continued to lay kisses on her neck.

"Walsh," She groaned, trying to gently break free of his grip but he refused and continued to nuzzle her.

Annoyed, Emma tried once again to break free, but before she could say her boyfriend's name once more something to her left further down the platform had caught her attention and caused her to fall limp in Walsh's arms.

Emma squinted and looked again, and when she did, piercing blue eyes met hers. Leaning against a pillar was a man in a long black leather coat, black leather pants, and a black vest that showed enough of his chest hair that Emma found herself licking her lips.

It was Killian. Emma sighed, slightly annoyed again that he had made himself so visible in public. What is he doing here!

Before Emma could think anymore on the subject, a loud whistle came from the tunnel beyond followed by a bright single light. The train had finally come and Walsh pulled away from her, his eyes damp with tears. Again, Emma found herself overwhelmed with guilt at the fact she had no idea he was this visibly upset.

"I'm sorry, Walsh."

"It's fine. You seem in another world today. I will see you when I get back from my parents in a week, yes? Be good, you." He said with a sob, turning away and walking to the platform to the now arriving train before Emma could even reply.

"See you." She whispered to no one in particular.

The train whistle blew one last time, leaving a loud ringing in her ears before the engine purred once again and disappeared into the tunnel beyond. Emma made sure every train car had gone into the milky black before turning to her left again, searching for her friend but to no avail as he seemed to have already disappeared with the bodies that exited the train when it had arrived.

Frantic to find him and unsure why she needed to, she set off at a slow jog toward where she had seen him last and the stairs that led down to the station and garage below that. She questioned herself with every step she took. Why was she chasing him? Why did she feel compelled to? Why did she need to talk to him? I don't know... and that is exactly why I do need to talk to him. Why was he standing there? He could have ruined everything and I need to know why. That is my reason. Or so she convinced herself.

When she reached the stairwell, she searched below her for any sign. She scanned every article of clothing every person underneath her was wearing, and when she spotted a long dark leather coat, she knew she had found her man.

"Killian!" She screamed as loud as she could over the bustle of everyone below her. "Killian stop!"

When her cries went unanswered Emma took off down the stairs one landing at a time until she planted her feet on the garage floor. It was much colder and darker down here than the station above and Emma wrapped her arms around her chest as she began to run again in the direction he went. It wasn't long until she had his long coat in view as she pushed past person after person to get to him.

"Killian, wait!" She yelled once more as she stopped running, placing her hands on her knees and bent over, exhausted and out of breath. By the time she was able to breathe and look up again, he was in front of her.

"Yes, love?"

"Don't 'love' me. Why are you here! You could have jeopardized everything! What if he saw you?"

"I believe it would have been difficult to see someone when his head was buried in your hair." He quipped, an almost amused grin playing across his mouth. Those lips...

"Don't be like that. You know I'm doing this for the case."

"So you say."

"Killian... why did you come?"

"It was a mistake, Swan. One I deeply apologize for. Enjoy the rest of your night." He sighed and turned away before she could answer.

But Emma wasn't having another man walk away from her without her having her say. She wasn't going to let Killian do this, she wasn't going to let him have the last word. It bothered her too much and again she couldn't place why. Walsh have the last word? Fine. But Killian?

He took one step away from her before Emma reached forward and grabbed his hand with her own, forcing him to stop and turn back around towards her.

"Emma, love, what are you doing?"

"You don't get to walk away from me. You're going to answer my questions. Come with me."  
Before he could respond, Emma was already marching back towards the stairs where the crowd of people had begun to dissipate, hand in hand with the man in leather behind her. She ascended one flight of stairs, then the next, until they were in the stairwell right below Platform B, sheltered above by another glass dome that was also being assaulted by the pitter patter of the heavy rain.

Emma smiled in spite of herself as she gently let her hand fall away from his and walked toward the railing, peering down through the glass to the darkened street below.

"Now why are you here Killian? Are you trying to purposely ruin my case?" She asked without turning to face him.

"You know me better than that, Swan. I'd never purposely hurt you. That's why I'm here, to make sure you don't get hurt."

"And who or what is going to hurt me?" She yelled, not meaning to as she turned back around to face him. "Walsh? You know I'm doing this undercover. You know this isn't real. And I have yet to even see anything about him that warrants me to be afraid, Killian!"

"Emma that is exactly what he wants you to think!" He screamed at her, throwing his hands in the air despite every attempt at trying to remain calm before turning away and taking a deep breath. "He isn't a good man, Swan. He isn't good for you!"

"And who is? You?" She snapped to his silhouette in front of her.

He could feel himself growing red with anger as he turned to face her again. "Yes, Emma. I am good for you. I've tried to help you, to help Henry."

"Hen-" Emma began to interrupt, confused.

"I've tried to be there for you. But you deny me and shut me out, you don't remember. You have to remember," He begged, cutting her question off.

"Remember? Remember what? What are you talking about?" She shook her head and couldn't help but laugh. "Have you lost your mind?"

"I love you, Emma," Killian almost whispered as a sob escaped his lips. "I've loved you since the day we had our adventure on the bean stalk. This reality of yours isn't real. We need you, Emma. I need you. Please, remember."

Emma couldn't respond. This man had just told her he loved her and for some odd reason, deep inside of her core, she felt it too and it angered her because she had no idea why. No recollection of even a step in the direction as to why she'd feel this way about this man, about her friend. In fact, all she did remember was having a wonderful life with Henry in New York. She knew this man, but she couldn't even remember how. And suddenly fear enveloped her and she found herself backing away from him until she had pinned herself against the railing.

"What is going on..." She heard herself say, her voice shaking with every word.  
Killian walked closer to her, resting his hands on her shoulders and she felt an eerie calmness fall over her entire body. He smiled and leaned closer until their lips were almost touching. So close that Emma could feel his breath on her lips as he spoke, sending a shiver down her spine.

"Remember, Emma. I haven't gone a day without thinking of you."

"Killian..." The words came out but Emma didn't hear them as his lips touched hers.

Those lips. Emma's eyes clamped shut as she grabbed onto his collar, pulling her towards him, blissfully unaware of the pain the railing was causing at it dug into her back. Then it happened. It began with a burning sensation at the her core, in her heart. It seemed to shoot from her heart through the rest of her body until a white light came out of inside her and enveloped them both. It completely covered them for a few quick seconds that seemed like eternity before shooting out around them in every direction, causing Emma to open her eyes and clench them shut at the brightness.

Visions came flooding through Emma's mind. Henry and her in Storybrooke sitting on his castle holding Henry's book, her mother Mary Margret and her father David, Mr. Gold, Regina, the curse... The curse!

Emma pushed him away forcefully before pulling him back and throwing her arms around his neck in a tight hug. "Hook!" She exclaimed, tears running down her face.

"Emma," He sighed relieved. "You remember."

"I do. I'm sorry," She sobbed into his shoulder as he stroked her hair with his fingers. "I love you, Killian."

He pulled away and looked at her, his eyes filled with tears. Emma smiled and closed hers ever so slowly as she leaned in to kiss him once more.

"What have you done!" A yell came from behind Killian's back causing Emma to quickly pull away and look behind him.

A man ran up to them she had never seen before, in this life or the one she had just remembered. His hands were waving wildy in the air, his hair and clothes disheveled. "What have you done, pirate! Now she will kill us all!"

"Calm down and tell us what's wrong," Emma pleaded to the man.

"You should have left her alone! You should have never interve-" But his words were lost to him as he yelled out in what seemed horrific agony. "Run.. from... here..." He barely managed to say through gritted teeth as he collapsed on his hands and knees.

Killian backed away, dragging Emma with him towards the railing, his arm shielding her in a desperate effort to protect her. "I'm not losing you again."

His voice was more serious than Emma ever remembered hearing him sound before and she made a mental note to comment on it later, that is, if they lived through this. Whatever this was. But before she could finish her thought, the man's face shot up and stared at her, his eyes piercing through her. But there was something different about him now, this wasn't the man's face she had seen just seconds before. His eyes had turned red, his nose had become more pronounced and long, and he seemed to have sprouted wings. Then Emma noticed his entire body. He wasn't a human anymore, if he was ever one at all, and looked something resembling more of a monkey now.

The creature screeched at them, gray wings flailing behind him. Emma looked at Killian, then toward the stairs that led to Platform B, but before either one could react the monkey took flight in front of them and lunged.

Emma screamed as she was lifted up and hurled through the air. She began kicking and reaching out to grab anything she could possibly get a hold of in vain before her body slammed onto the cold, wet concrete below. The long black billowing leather coat running towards her and gray wings following close behind was the last thing she saw before everything faded to black. 

* * *

"Hook!" Emma screamed, forcing her eyes open as she sat up in bed reaching for something that was no longer there. Her breathing was labored and her body was covered in sweat, although she looked as if she really had been drenched from rain. She wiped her forehead as she swung her legs out from under her covers to hang over the bed and sighed.

"It was just a dream..." She breathed, somewhat relieved. "But what the hell was that..." She trailed off, suddenly distracted by a semi-loud clamor in the kitchen.

"Hey mom," Henry greeted her with a smile as she turned the corner into the kitchen.

"Morning, kid. You're up early."

"I was hungry, figured I'd get a start on breakfast."

"How about this: I'll make the breakfast and you go do morning chores."

"Deal." He replied with a smile.

Emma turned towards the stove and the breakfast set up Henry had already seemingly put together. An unopened dozen eggs sat upon the counter with bread, jelly, milk, and butter alongside a box of pancake mix. Emma smiled at the counter, feeling rather silly and forgetting the nightmare she had endured not ten minutes before.

One by one, she cracked opened each egg until there were a total of four in the pan and began to scramble them. Minutes ticked by as she waited for the eggs to cook and she turned to see Henry doing his morning chores of watering the plants by the window's of their tiny but homey apartment and she couldn't help but smile again. Then she started on the pancakes, which she whipped up rather fast.

She felt good today and she smiled again. Today was going to be a good day.  
Minutes later the eggs were done and she spooned them onto two plates next to the pancakes and set them down onto the table, then mixed up their favorite specific drink of choice and set it down beside Henry.

"Mom, you forgot something." He said with a sheepish grin as he looked up at her.

"Right, cinnamon." She replied, feeling rather dumb for forgetting.

She headed back toward the counter and grabbed it, turned, then handed it to Henry. "Here ya go," She said as she set it on the table then sat down across from him. She watched as he sprinkled cinnamon over his whipped cream and smiled again, and in unison mother and son picked up their mugs and clanked them together before taking a sip. Today will be a good day.

Emma was just about to cut into her pancake when a knock at the door jarred her from her positive thinking. Who in the world would be knocking at this hour?

As if reading her mind, Henry gave her a bewildered look and asked "Is someone coming over?"

"No..." She replied slowly, looking down towards her food as if it held some hidden answer deep within her scrambled eggs.

Then another knock, this one louder and more desperate.

Emma stared at the door unsure of what to do, unsure of who it could be. And that uncertainty frightened her. Her dream suddenly came rushing back to her and her heart skipped a beat. She set her napkin on the table next to her plate before slowly standing, staring at the door all the while.

"Henry wait here."

Emma left the table and made her way to the front door, only stopping to turn the radio off with a quick flick of the switch. She found herself almost running to the door, the urgency in the knock making her heart race. Reaching toward the handle, she took a deep breath and opened it.

Before her stood a man in a long black leather coat, black leather pants, and... a black leather vest that barely covered his chest... Emma's mouth dropped.

"Swan." He grinned from ear to ear, obviously pleased. "At last," He breathed heavily before slowly moving towards her in the doorway.

Emma put her hand on his chest and stopped him. "Wait, do I know you?" She said frantically as fear gripped her insides.

"I need your help," He pleaded. His dark blue deep set eyes searching hers. "Something happened. Something terrible. Your family is in trouble."

"My family's right here," She protested. "Who are you?"

"An old friend," He sighed when he said it and Emma could notice he sounded defeated. "I know you can't remember me but... I can make you."

Before Emma could react, this stranger had wrapped his hand around her head, slid his fingers between the tassels of her hair and closed the distance between them. His lips pressed into hers with a maddening intensity and Emma found herself closing her eyes for a brief second before reality hit her. Her eyes snapped opened and she reached for the thing closest to her: his chest and punched as hard as she could, causing him to recoil. She helped him, pushing him backwards as he lost his balance and landed sharply against the hallway wall.

"The hell are you doing?" Emma asked, breathless and taken aback by his kiss.

The man clutched at his side in pain, leaning against the wall behind him for support. "Was a long shot, I had to try. I was hoping you felt as I did."

"All you're gonna feel is the handcuff's when I call the cops."

"Look, I know this seems crazy," He was begging now, coming towards her again in one last desperate, crazy attempt at whatever he was trying to convey. "But you have to listen to me! You have to remem-"

But his words were lost as Emma slammed the door in his face. She leaned against the hallway wall to steady herself and calm her heart. "What the hell..."

"What was that?" Henry called from the table as Emma walked back into the room.

"No idea." Emma forced herself to answer, still out of breath. "Someone must have left the door open downstairs." She allowed herself one last very long glance at her front door before turning back to Henry.

"Come on, let's eat."


End file.
